The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1887-06-01
CURRENT FARM TOPICS.
Iinein. COrn.

Sofil, properly P!aHleo VI "e! ~.
pared land, should rarely need the
hoe in the early stages if the
plowing be skillfully done. While our
personal experience does not otapprove the
general practice of planting in the water
| furrow as advocated by DIR. jones', we
have found il very helpful in the way of
subsequent cultivation to plant in very
vide deep furrows and covering very
shallow, so that the plants will be below
the general surface. The first plowing
should be done with an implement that
throws but little dirt to the corn, yet
enough to cover well the step between
the hills or plants The thinning (if
needed) should be done ahead OF the
blowing, and the latter should be done
only by conscicntiously (?) careful laGor-
ers. The plowman should be required
to stop and uncover plants, or cover or
pull out wee:s or grass with foot or
hand as he goes. He should be in
pressed with the idea that the work of
cleaning the young plants must be done
by the work of his plow, or his hands
and feet-no hoe to follow. 1t is not g
bad idea to furnish each plowman with e
small short-handled, one-hand hoe, to be
carried with his plow and used as occa
sion may require. 1t will be found tiat
he viii be much more careful to do good
work with his pl.w if he is given to IN
derstand that careless work will not be
endured and left for the hoes to remedy.
OF course It viii often occur that the
land is sufficiently smooth to admit Of
thorough work by the plow, except
around trees and stumps; but it will rot
pay to 60 over field, row by row, in
order to clean around such obstacles.
Better make job Of it, carly in the c,ll-
tivation, oing from one TO another with
out regard to the intervening rows.
1t sometimes pays well to 60 over the
corn crop with the hoes about laying-hy
time, each hand taking two or more rows
at a time, and destroy scattering lunches
OF grass and cleaning around stumps and
trees. This viii depend upon whether
the hands car be spared from the more
exacting cotton crop.
'.Chcppins'' Cotton.
CBy the Same Writer,
Tie characteristic work on a cotton
farm during the month Of May is cot
on.chopping. Among the many ma
chimes that have been invented to do
this work none has yet been very favor
ably received or generally adopted by
farmers. The operation is one-Lkc
cotton picking-that seems to demand
an ever-changing motion q. 4 the exer-
else Of an eyer-acting judgment which
cannot be materialized into machine.
Such machine, however, is probably
within the possibilities of human inven-
ton. The cotton harvester is an undis-
puted necessity; but it is not so clear
that a machine for chopping, or merely
''blocking OUT cotton-reducing the
continuous row Of plants to bunches-is
exactly what is needed. Why SOW the
seed SO as to secure continuous row OF
plants, and then at the first operation
proceed to destroy the continuity? On
poor, unfertilized land, which requires
that the plants should stand very close
in order to make maximum crop, such
q. continuous row is perhaps necessary;
but it seems an unnecessary waste OF
seed and labor on land which will bear
the stalks IS inches to two or three feet
apart. Why not plant the seed on such
land in Iiils or steps-already chopped?
The writer planted his entire crop two
successive years in hills 3x24 feet with
the most satisfactory results. But it is
too late now to discuss the policy of hill
or step planting. The crop is nearly all
planted and much of it will soon be
ready ol the first operation.
Ii the soil has been impacted from the
effect OF one or more rains after plant
ing. it is OF the first Importance to break
the crust and let in the light and air.
The condition OF the land il this respect,
and the necessities OF the corn cIop, will
determine whether it will be better to
chop before or after plowing. When
the ground is il good, mellow condition,
and com ly;;r;;tivcly tree from grass, We
have Often fonII 1t bltter 10 put The
hoes to work ii advance OF plowing and
as soon as the scel-ieaf OF the plant is
fully developed. II this plan is adopted
the work Of chopping out should and
may be very rapidly done, the ain be-
ing TO get over the crop Ill q week or ten
days or less 1t does not pay to con-
sll1e the time that would be required to
th!1 out 10 u given number Of plaHts, Or
10 leave o.ch buach il L perfect cordi-
iion. Il the crop h>ts been well and
smoothly planted AID tie ground Is mel
io": and iE2c from o5structlons, such as